Archive By Section - HOME SCENE

As you anticipate what exciting things this year will bring, you might notice your home decor has been left behind. Fortunately, you can easily beautify and modernize your home using hints from design experts on the hottest color trends. Don't worry that you'll need to break the bank - simply updating the shades of your walls can create the feel of an entire new home without the cost of buying one. And you'll enjoy starting the year in fresh, contemporary surroundings.

DEAR BENNY: I am selling my house and received two offers on the same day: The first offer came in first thing in the morning, and I made a counteroffer. Several hours later there was another offer. My agent informed both buyers' agents of the competing offers and shortly after was informed by buyer's agent No. 1 that his clients had accepted the counteroffer. I rejected offer No. 2, as required, and started packing.

While the bathroom may be one of the smallest rooms in the home, it is also the area where we store a multitude of items, from cosmetics to cleaners, laundry to linens. With this in mind, it's easy for your bath to feel more like crowded, cluttered chaos than the spa sanctuary we long for it to be.

LEHIGH ACRES, Fla. (AP) - At Our Daily Bread Food Pantry, the conversation often centers on real estate. Once taboo details - home values and what people paid for their properties - are casually discussed, and there appears to be little shame in walking away from a mortgage or fighting the bank on a foreclosure.

To get a jump on the upcoming spring selling season, Woodside Homes has started a "40 Homes in 40 Days" sales event at communities throughout the Sacramento and Modesto regions. With a lofty goal of selling 40 homes in 40 days or less, the sales teams at all Woodside Homes communities are receiving daily updates and the authorization to do whatever they can to help homebuyers purchase a new home now.

Everyone loves granite for kitchen and bath countertops, but many homeowners find this option for adding value to their home, too pricey. When considering a kitchen update I found that granite typically costs $50 to $100 per square foot (including installation).

January 19, 2012|
By ASHLEY FLEMING
Special to the Bulletin
|HOME SCENE

WASHINGTON (AP) - The average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage fell again this week to a record low. The eighth record low in a year is attracting few takers because most who can afford to buy or refinance have already done so.

Articles by Section - HOME SCENE

MOUNTAIN VIEW (AP) - Of Google gets to build a new office complex north of Highway 101, no one will feel the "Googly" aura of the canopied tech wonderland quite like the people living along Space Park Way.

Whether you're planning to list your home for sale soon or you're simply working to maintain features that attracted you to the charming abode in the first place, careful attention to curb appeal is a must.

A recent study found that 50 percent of homeowners claim their garage is the most disorganized place in the home. In addition, The Department of Energy cites 25 percent of people with two-car garages have too much clutter to leave room for cars, while 32 percent only have room for one vehicle. Isn't it time to do something about the mess? This year, focus your efforts on maximizing storage space in the garage.

Did you know it takes just one afternoon to save money on your utility bills? Take on a few easy DIY projects this weekend to see immediate savings while making your home more comfortable and environmentally friendly for the long term. As hot months quickly approach, now is the perfect time to improve your home's energy efficiency and set the stage for a cool, comfortable home this summer.